Victorian Current Acts Victorian Current Acts(1) A water supplier may apply to the Minister to be exempted from a water quality standard as it applies to drinking water supplied by the water supplier.
(2) An application must set out—
(a) the standard that it is sought to be exempted from, the water supply in respect of which the exemption is sought and the reasons why the exemption is sought; and
(b) the period sought during which the exemption is to apply and the reasons for seeking that period; and
(c) any benefits and adverse impacts that the approval of the exemption is likely to have; and
(d) the measures that will be taken if the application is approved to eliminate or minimise any risks to public health that may occur; and
(e) a description of the consultation that has taken place in relation to the proposal to seek the exemption, together with a summary of the views of the people consulted.
(3) The Minister may approve an application if the Minister is satisfied on reasonable grounds that—
(a) adequate measures are proposed to eliminate or minimise any risks to public health that may occur as a result of the approval of the application; and
(b) the relevant community to which the water supplier supplies drinking water has been adequately consulted about the application; and
(c) the likely benefits of approving the application outweigh the likely impacts (including the likely costs).
(4) The Minister must give the water supplier written notice of the approval or rejection of an application.
(5) In approving an application, the Minister may specify the period of time during which the exemption is to apply to the water supplier.
(6) On the approval of an application, the relevant water quality standard ceases to apply to the water supply that was the subject of the application for the period (if any) specified in the notice.